Apparatus for drying moisture-bearing substances.



1. H. BEEBEE APPARATUS FOR DRYING MOISTURE BEARING SUBSTANCES.

` APPLICATION FILED` AUG. 16, i918. 192959259., Patented Feb.1919.

2 sHEETssHEEr 1.

l. H. BEEBEE.

APPARATUS FOR DRYING MOISTURE BEARING SUBSTANCES.

APPLICATION FILED Aua.|6,191a.

2 SHEETS-SHEE 2.

JAMES H. BEEIBEE, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

.APPARATUS FQR DRYING MOISTURE-BEARIN G SUBSTANCES.

Specification of Letters latent.

yPatented Feb. 25, 1919.

Application led August 16, 1918. Serial No. 250,118

To all whom z't may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES H. BEEBEE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York,havel invented a new and Improved Apparatus for Drying Moisture- BearingSubstances, of which the following is a specification. v

My invention, while relating to methods of and means for drying fruit,vegetables, lumber or other like moisture bearlng substances has moreespecial reference to devices for this purpose commonly known as airdrying apparatus.

One of the objects of my present invention is to effect a thoroughdrying of substances such as above mentioned by placing them in an airtight inclosure and using the air within the inclosure repeatedly bykeeping it in continuous circulation, the moisture absorbed from thefruit, vegetables or other substance being in turn removed from the airby directing the air currents over a suitable dehydrating material suchas chlorid of calcium.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus foraccomplishing such rst named object that is simple, practical andinexpensive in construction and that can be built 1n various shapes andsizes according to the particular purpose for which it is to be used.

And still another object of the invention is the provision within acomparatively small compartment of a large area over which to spread thedehydrating material.

These and other objects of the invention pertaining more especially todetails of construction will be clearly set forth in the followingdescription and particularly defined in the appended claims.

The accompanying drawings illustrating the invention are as follows:

Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional view of the apparatus taken along theline 1 1 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a part side elevation and part vertical sectional view takenalong the line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the extension chamberalso taken along the line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken along the line -1-4of Fig. 3 but drawn to a smaller Scale;

And, Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical sectional detail taken along theline 5 5 of Fig. 3 but with the air distributing tube shown in full.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the severalviews.

The numeral 1 represents a dry kiln which may be of any desired sizeaccording to the use for which it is intended and constructed of anysuitable material. This kiln may also be of any preferred conformationalthough the one shown in the drawings as embodying my invention isrectangular and provided with side walls 2 2, a front wall 3, a top 4, f

a base 5 and a rear wall 6 having a door-way 7 normally closed by aswinging door 8. Supported on the base 5 are a plurality oflongitudinally extending ioists 9 which in turn support a flooringformed by transversely extending boards or slats 10 with spaces betweenthem, these spaces gradually becoming wider toward the rear of the kilnor to the left with respect to Figs. 1 and 2. The floor thus formed hasan a1r space beneath it and the boards being spaced farther apart towardthe rear of the kiln permit a more equal distribution of the aircurrents as they are directed rearwardly between the several joists inthe manner to be explained.

On the front of the kiln and preferably in the center thereof is anextension 11 provided with side and front walls and a rearwardlyvinclined top wall 12. This extension forms a chamber havingcommunication with the kiln proper through an opening 13 in the upperportion of the front wall 3. Supported longitudinally within thisextension just below the opening 13 is a perforated plate 14, whilebelow the plate there are slidably and removably supported a pluralityof trays or pans 15 arranged in staggered relation relative their sideedges, see Fig. 4.

These trays are supported upon angle bars 16 and 17, the bars 16 beingsecured to the. side walls of the extension chamber 11 while the bars 17are carried by brackets 18 secured to such side walls.

The trays 15 comprise receptacles for containing the moisture absorbingsubstance and by having a number of them there is provided, within acomparatively small compartment, a large area over which to spread thissubstance. rIhey are also preferably supported on a slight incline andhave perforations 34 along their lower edges permitting the substance,when such as chlorid of calcium is used, to be drained from one an toanother as it gradually becomes lique ed by the moisture absorbedthrough thc air from the fruit, vegetables or other material being driedin the kiln. The front wall of the extension 11 is provided with anopening 19 for permitting removal of the several trays 15 but which isnormally closed by a swinging door 20.

Removably supported on arms 21 secured to one of the side walls of theextension 11 is a receptacle 22 adapted to receive the liquid as itdrops from the low'ermost tray 15, and the contents of this receptacleare drained through a pipe connection 23 eX- tending through the frontwall of the eX- tension chamber and lprovided with a stop valve. 24.When the contents of the receptacle 22 has been drawn o' into anotherreceptacle, not shown, the latter can be placed on a stove and the waterevaporated so that the material can be again placed in thev trays forfurther use. The pipe connection 23 has a coupling 25 which whendisconnecte ed permits a removal of the receptacle 22 through theopening 19.

Extending transversely of the kiln at the forward end of the joists 9and housed in a suitable casing 26 is an air distributing headcomprising a tube 27 closed at its ends and having a number of alinedapertures 28 for directing the air rearwardly betweeny the severaljoists and under the floor boards 10,

the apertures toward the end of the tube preferably being somewhatlarger than those near the center for the purpose of obtaining a moreequal distribution of the air. The tube 27 opens at its center into anenlarged lateral extension 29 at the forward end of which is a fan 30supported on the shaft 31 of an electric motor 32 mounted upon astandard 33 secured to the base 5. This fan creates a continuouscirculation of the same air over and over again by drawing it fromthe-bottom of the 'extension chamber 11 and forcing it through theopenings 28 in the distributing head 27 to the space beneath the ooringfrom whence it rises throughkthe spaces between the Hoor boards 10,circulates through the kiln, passes through the opening 13 into theupper part of the extension chamber 11, then downwardly through theperforated plate 14 and back and forth in the direction of the arrows Z,Fig. 4, over the several trays l5 containing the dehydrating materialand againA into the distributing head 27.

It will thus be seen that the contents of the kiln are dried by usin thesame air continuously and that the moisture absorbed byi the air fromthe fruit, vegetablesv or other substances is removed therefrom by thedehydrating material as the air passes over the trays 15 and that theair is in a dry Vstate when drawn by the fan into the distributing head27. lt will also be seen that as the dehydrating material becomesliquefied it can` be drawn oii and the material reclaimed forI furtheruse when the moisture has been.

said compartment for containing a dehy drating material, and means, as afan, intermediate said container and the said air space for maintainina. continuous circulation of the same air om the compartment into saidair space, then through the kiln into the compartment and over the saidcontainer.

2. In an apparatus of the character and for the purpose described, thecombination with a kiln of a partition through the kiln forming an airspace and having apertures therein, a compartment having communica'-tion with said kiln, means supported within said compartment forcontaining a dehydrating material, such container being provided with aliquid discharge opening, and means, as a fan, intermediate saidcontainer and the said air space for maintaining a continuouscirculation of the same air from the compartment into said air space,then through the kiln into the compartment and over the said container.

3. In al1-apparatus of the character and for the purpose described, thecombination with a kiln of a partition through the kiln forming an vairspace and having apertures therein, a compartment having communicationwith said kiln, means supported within said compartment for containing adehydrating material, such container eing provided with a liquiddischarge opening,

vfor the purpose described, the combination naesrase said receptacle.

6. In an apparatus of the character and y for the purpose described, thecombination with a kiln of a partition through the kiln forming an airspace and having apertures therein, a compartment having communicationWith said kiln, a plurality of trays for containing a dehydratingmaterial supported one above the other in said compartment,

an air distributing member, a fan for maintaining a continuouscirculation of the same air from said compartment through saiddistributing member into said air space then through the kiln into saidcompartment and over the said trays, and means for rotating the fan.

7. In an apparatus of the character and for the purpose described, thecombination with a kiln of a partition through the kiln forming an airspace and having apertures therein, a compartment having communicationWith said kiln, a plurality of trays for containing a dehydratingmaterial supported one above the other in said compartment and aperforated plate above said trays, an air distributing member, a fan formaintaining a continuous circulation of the same air from saidcompartment through said distributing member into said air spa-ce then'8; ln an apparatus of the character and for the purpose described, thecombination with a kiln of a floor in the kiln having an air spacebeneath it and apertures in the floor, a compartment havingcommunication with said kiln, a plurality of trays for containing adehydrating material supported one above the other in the saidcompartment, an air distributing member, a fan located in the saidcompartment beneath the lowermost of said trays for maintaining acontinuous circulation of the same air from said compartment throughsaid distributing member into Said air space then through the kiln intothe said compartment and over the several trays, and means for rotatingthe fan.

9. In an apparatus of the character and for the purpose described, thecombination 'with a kiln of a floor in the kiln having an air space'beneath it and apertures in the floor, a compartment havingcommunication with said kiln, a plurality of trays for containing adehydrating material having perforated bottoms and supported in the saidcompartment one above the other on an inoline and in staggered relation,a receptacle beneath the loWermost tray, an air distributing member, afan located in the said compartment |beneath the lowermost tray formaintaining a continuous circulation of the same air from saidcompartment through said distributing member into said air space thenthrough the kiln into the said compartment and over the several trays,and means for rotating the fan.

aas H. BEEBEE.

